Apple’s iPhone 15 range has finally hit the shelves and investors are waiting to see how sales affect the stock. Yet the launch carries lessons about the global economy that bear watching as well.
UBS
analyst Michelle Laliberte cited three key takeaways.
Consumers are spending on experiences
That might seem like a counterintuitive conclusion from one of the biggest consumer-goods launches of the year, but changes made to the phone by
Apple
(ticker: AAPL) are in line with the trend that consumers are spending more on experiences, according to Laliberte.
Apple is hoping the desire to experience virtual reality can translate into buying new products as it prepares for the release of its $3,499 Vision Pro headset.
The addition of “spatial video”—essentially 3-D video—capabilities on the iPhone 15 Pro is a core part of the effort to benefit from interest in virtual reality. Apple says consumers will be able to watch 3-D clips shot via the phone using the Video Pro headset, adding a new dimension to scrolling through their holiday footage.
Apple executives also pitched the iPhone 15 Pro as the “best videogame console” in an interview with gaming-media outlet IGN. The premium model comes with an A17 Pro chip that can support more detailed graphics and therefore a better gaming experience.
The circular economy is becoming a reality
The headline move Apple made in terms of sustainability with the iPhone 15 was the switch to a USB-C connector port from its previous Lighting connector. That was driven by a European Union mandate designed to reduce electronic waste, but there are further signs that Apple is shifting toward a circular model that in theory would generate no waste.
The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max use 100% recycled cobalt in their batteries, a first for the company. The company has said all Apple-designed batteries will be made with recycled cobalt by 2025.
“We see Apple’s design change as indicative of what’s to come as companies look to reduce reliance on increasingly scarce materials,” Laliberte wrote.
Globalization isn’t dead
One of the major economic stories of recent years has been that the era of globalization is coming to an end as companies seek to shorten their supply chains in geographical terms and reduce risks. The iPhone 15 suggests we haven’t got there yet.
Apple is hoping to buy its first chips from a U.S.-based factory next year but for now its supply chains remain as global as ever. That is illustrated by the A17 Pro chip. It is the first 3-nanometer chip to be used in an iPhone and Apple remains dependent on
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing
(TSM) for its production.
“The chip was designed by Apple in the U.S. but manufactured in Taiwan, and the iPhone itself is largely assembled in China. This embodies the complex global supply chain necessary to produce the world’s most advanced technologies,” Laliberte wrote.
Write to Adam Clark at adam.clark@barrons.com
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